Separator



(No Model I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. M. BRADSHAW & W. E. MEEK.

SEPARATOR.

Patented Mar. 12. 1889.-

wi cmeoow NllTE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES MONROE BRADSHAW AND \VILLIAM EDGAR MEEK, OF TABLE ROCK, COLORADO.

SEPARATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 399,486, dated March 12, 1889. Application filed February 8, 1886. Renewed August 4, 1888- $erial No. 281,974. (No model.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, JAMES MONROE BRAD- SHAW and WILLIAM EDGAR MEEK, citizens of the United States, residing at Table Rock, in the county of El. Paso and State of Colorado, have invented. new and useful Improve- 1 ments in Separators, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

Our invention relates to improvements in separators; and it eonsi. of the novel construction and combination of parts that will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The object of our invention is to provide an improved portable machine which can be adapted for use in separating and asserting different kinds of vegetables and other substances, and which will be very simple and durable in coi'istrnction and eiiicicnt and reli able in operation, and, further, to provide means for regulating the stroke or movement of the shoe.

In the accompanying drawings, whichillus trate a separator embodying our invention,

Figure l is a perspective view of our improved machine, and Fig. 2 is a vertical central lonr gitudinal sectional view thereof.

Referring to the drawings, in which like 1 letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures, A designates the supporting-frame of the machine, consisting of the uprights a and transverse and longitudinal beams a (4 which are strengthened by diagonal braces a the whole being rigidly and firmly secured together by bolts, screws, or other suitable fasttenin g devices. is mounted on runners B, to adapt the machine to be imj \'cd1tro1n place to place and readily transported; but it: is obvious that it 1 can be mounted on wheels for the same pur pose.

C O designate depending brackets or supports that are bolted to the rear ends of the longitudinal beams a" of the frame, and said supports are provided with a series of openings or sockets, c, for the reception of the suspending-arms of a vibrating shoe.

D designates supports for the front end of said vibrating shoe, said supports comprising The frame l plates or castings that are secured by screws t or bolts to the front uprights, a, of the frame, l and preferably project above the front ends 1 of the longitudinal beams of the frame A. i These plates or castings are provided with a 1 series of spaced projecting fingers or ribs, 61, that are disposed in an inclined position or at an angle to the plat-es to prevent the ends of the shoe-suspending arms from becoming disengaged therefrom.

E designates a shoe that is loosely suspended between the uprights of the frame and adapted to oscillate back and forth to screen 1 and assert the material or commodities placed therein. The shoe comprises an upper frame,

0, having a sieve of coarse mesh, and a lower frame, a, provided with a sieveof tiner mesh than that carried by the frame The frames rigidly but detachably secured together by bolts, st raps, or other suitable fastening means, are adapted to move simultaneously and in unison with each other, and may be made either of wood or metal, with the sieves suitably secured to the same, as is obvious.

The sieves may be adapted for use in cleaning and assorting potatoes and other like vegetables and commodities; or they may he f made of finer mesh than those Sll0\\']l,St')E1S to screen wheat, barley, and the like of impurities, and also to assert the same. The ends of the lower sieve-frame, w, are closed. to prevent the contents of the sievebeingdischarged thereat', and at or near its middle it has a discharge-t)pening, c to permit the contents to discharge into a receptacle placed beneath the same. The upper sieve has a contracted discharge-throat,fiat its rear end to properly conduct its contents into a receptacle placed at one end of the machine. while at the middle of said upper sieve, and extending transversely of the shoe, is placed an inclined retarding-board,f, which is loosely supported at its upper edge, by any preferable nieans,in the frame of the said sieve. The function of this loosely-mounted inclined boa rd is to retain the potatoes or the like in the front end of the shoe for a short time to subject them to a shaking motion for the purpose of thereby cleaning them of any adhering dirt or 1 other matter before discharging them.

a eam The sl iaking' shoe is loosely suspended by means of the arms or rods g c', that are arranged in pairs at each end of the shoe, the lower end of each rod being pivotally' or otherwise connected to one end of the slice on one side thereof, and the other end of the arm being bent and fitted in one of the series of sockets in the supporting castings or plates C D. The shoe is arranged in an inclined position, so that the rear or discharge ends of the screens are lower than the front ends, so as to properly discharge the contents thereof. It is obvious that either or both ends of the shoe may be adjusted vertically, so as to adapt the machine to work properly when placed on uneven or hilly surfaces. The frame is provided with an elevated seat, G, for the driver or operator, and to a suitable transverse bar or support, 1', of the main frame of the machine is pivoted a lever, G, which is connected by an intermediate link or rod,'g' with the vibrating shoe. This lever is located on the main frame of the machine within convenient reach of the operator to permit the shoe to be shaken by hand. The shoe may, however, be vibrated by motion transmitted from any suitable source of power by belts, gearing, &c., as is obvious.

I-I designates a rope or chain that is rigidly secured at one end to the shoe and at its opposite end to a pin, h, or other suitable device. The function of this rope or chain is to limit the rearward stroke of the shoe, and by increasing or shortening the length thereof between the shoe and pin 71 the stroke or movement of the shoe can be varied and regulated to suit different substances to be screened and assorted.

I designates a stop that depends from a cross-bar, 1', of the frame A, and the lower end of this stop is arranged in the path of movement of a transverse bar or rod, 6, of the vibrating shoe, so as to limit the forward stroke or movement thereof, said stop being preferably made of yielding spring metal to obviate sudden jar on the shoe and its supporting dev1ces.

J designates an inclined discharge-board disposed beneath the contracted throat of the upper sieve, c, of the shaking-shoe, and has openings j therein for the passage of pointed teeth or prongs Z of a lever, L, which forms a part of the bag-holding device.

\Ve employ two independent bag-holding devices, K M, which are arranged beneath the contracted dischargethroat f and the outletopening 6 respectively, of the vibrating shoe to receive the contents therefrom, the larger potatoes or other substances being discharged through the discharge-throat f and into the bag supported by the holder K and lever L at the front of the machine, and the smaller potatoes or other substances through the outletopening 6 and into the bag upheld by the holder M, this latter holder being carried by a swingin platform, m, so that the holder can be adjusted beneath the shoe. or beyond the same, in order to permit the bag to be easily removed. lVe do not lay any claim herein to the bag-holding devices shown in the drawings, and do not, therefore, deem it necessary to describe the same herein.

Having thus described our invention, what v claim as new is 1. Inaseparator, the combination of a main frame, the vibrating shoe suspended within the same, the chain connected to the frame and shoe at opposite ends and lh/Eing the movement of the shoe in one direction, and a stop for limiting the movement of the shoe in the opposite direction, substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

2. In a separator, the combination of a main frame, a vibrating shoe suspended within the main frame, the chain. connect-ed at opposite ends to the frame and shoe, and the springmetal stop I, fixed to the mainframe and depending therefrom into the path of the vibrating shoe, substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereto affixed our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES MONROE BRADSHAW. WILLIAM EDGAR MEEK. \Vitnesses:

A. F. WooDwARn, J OHN STAGMAN. 

